Light Pasta Da Vinci is my take on the Cheesecake Factory favorite. So rich and decadent that you’ll never believe it’s lightened up!
When the Lite Cravings community asks for a recipe makeover, I try to deliver! My most requested recipes from this amazing community are always restaurant copycats, especially from Cheesecake Factory.
I get it. CF dishes are insanely high in calories and fat, but they are delicious. I especially love their pasta dishes. My lightened up take on their One-Pot Louisiana Chicken Pasta is one of the top recipes on my blog. Many of you have told me it tastes JUST as good as Cheesecake Factory’s Louisiana Chicken Pasta – even though it has 1/4 of the calories and fat. #WINNING.
You have been so patient waiting for my Light Pasta Da Vinci. I’m not lying when I say that I’ve seen requests for Cheesecake Factory’s Pasta Da Vinci for years.
The main reason I waited so long to give this dish a healthy makeover was because an important ingredient has been rather difficult to find (for me, anyway). You know me. I like to tailor my recipes so they include ingredients that are easily accessible for anyone (my Healthy Pad Thai is a prime example).
With that being said, the main ingredient that makes this dish is worth getting. If you can’t find it, keep reading for some substitutions.
It’s all about the technique
The first step absolutely sets this dish apart from a typical chicken and pasta dish. After you’ve cubed your chicken, season it with salt and pepper and toss so the seasonings are evenly distributed. We don’t want any bland bites!
After you’ve seasoned your chicken, you’re going to sprinkle cornstarch over the chicken and toss it so that each piece is thinly coated and then let it sit until it’s had a chance to absorb. This extra step is crucial for a couple of reasons. First, the starches in the cornstarch help to brown the chicken and seal in all the juiciness and flavor. Second, the starches help the sauce really coat the chicken so it doesn’t just slide off.
You may be tempted to throw all of the chicken into the pan at once. DON’T DO IT. It may take a few extra minutes, but dividing it and cooking in two batches ensures that the chicken isn’t crowded in the pan. Overcrowding the pan prevents the chicken from getting perfectly golden and crisp.
Trust me when I say it’s worth the extra step.
Next, you’ll sauté the onions and mushrooms in the same pan you browned your chicken. Don’t wipe out the browned bits from the chicken. That’s where the FLAVOR is and you’ll want to use it as a base to build your sauce.
The main ingredient for light pasta da vinci
If you’re already a fan of this dish, you know that there is a sweet-savory sauce that really makes the pasta come together.
It’s difficult to describe, too. It’s smooth and slightly creamy, almost like a glaze. You’ll just have to try it and tell me how you’d describe it in the comments, LOL. With that being said, this is a wine-based sauce, so if you’re not interested in cooking with wine, this isn’t the recipe for you.
Madeira wine is what they use in Cheesecake Factory’s Pasta Da Vinci. If you want a taste that is as close to the original as possible, it is worth the extra legwork to find a bottle of Madeira wine. I found it difficult to locate in my regular grocery stores, so I had to go to a local wine shop to find it.
If you have a favorite liquor store nearby, definitely check them out!
what if i can’t find madeIra wine?
If you search high and low (or don’t want to bother going on the hunt), here are some substitutions that are close to the same flavor profile of Madeira wine. It’s a dry wine with a complex sweetness:
- Marsala wine: this has the closest taste profile to Madeira
- Dry Sherry
If you don’t feel comfortable with alcohol in your food, just know that all of the alcohol evaporates when you simmer it.
For other recipes that include wine, I usually provide non-alcoholic substitutions, but this recipe is solely based on that wine sauce. You will sacrifice all of the flavor if you try to do that.
If you’d rather not cook with wine, I have some other amazing pasta recipes you’ll enjoy:
- Chicken Scampi Pasta
- Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
- Creamy Cajun Pasta
- Creamy Mushroom Parmesan Chicken (served over pasta)
I’d love to hear from you if you make this recipe! It makes my day when you share your pics on Instagram and tag me (@litecravings). Don’t forget to use #litecravingsrecipes to make sure I see it. If I don’t get a chance to scroll through my tags quickly enough, I won’t see your post. I always make a point to look through the hashtags, though, so I’ll see it there.
Light Pasta Da Vinci
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried penne pasta cooked to al dente, about a minute less than indicated in package directions
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water
- 1 pound chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 1/2 tbsp cornstarch divided
- 1 small red onion chopped
- 1 pound sliced mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups Madeira wine*
- 1/4 cup half and half
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels. Cut the chicken in bite-sized cubes and season with salt and pepper as desired. Toss in 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch until fully absorbed into the chicken.
- Spritz a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray, over medium-high heat. Add chicken in two batches, so they can brown evenly. Cook on each side for 2-3 minutes, until a light golden-brown crust forms.
- Remove chicken from pan and let rest on a plate. Reduce heat to medium.
- Sauté onions in pan for about 3-4 minutes, or until slightly golden. Mix in mushrooms and increase heat to medium-high.
- Let the mushrooms sit for a few minutes over the heat until slightly caramelized, then start mixing and sauteing until the mushrooms get somewhat soft, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and 1 tsp salt, along with the optional red pepper flakes. Sauté 1 more minute.
- In a separate cup, whisk 1 tbsp cornstarch into the wine and half and half. Pour into pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken back to the pan and simmer in sauce for another 3-5 minutes. Season with black pepper to taste. Taste sauce and add in extra 1/2 tsp of salt if needed.
- Mix the pasta and a few splashes of the cooking water into the sauce until everything is evenly coated. Continue to cook on low heat until sauce has started to absorb into pasta, about 2-3 minutes. Add more pasta water if the pasta gets too dry.
- Mix in the parmesan cheese until melted and serve!
I made this for dinner last night and it is so good. I have never had the Cheesecake Factory dish but this is something I would order. All of your recipes are great but I think this one is now tied for first with your Chicken Tikka Masala. I am so excited for leftovers tonight. Thank you for all of your amazing recipes!
Thank you, Coleen! I love my Chicken Tikka Masala too, so I take that as the highest compliment that my Light Pasta Da Vinci is right up there with it. So happy you enjoyed it as much as we do 🙂
This was unreal!!! I know it’s good when my husband goes back into the pan with a fork after dinner!
That’s definitely a good sign when the husband goes back for another round. Glad you all enjoyed the dish. Thank you for taking the time to comment!
I have never commented on a food blog before, but this recipe is phenomenal. My mom has been going to the Cheesecake Factory for numerous years and their quality has been going down hill in our area. I made this for her and she confirmed it is much better than the theirs! I highly recommend making this ASAP!
Thank you Susan for taking the time to comment. I’m honored that you and your Mom loved my Light Pasta Da Vinci!
I’ve never had the original dish either. What a tasty, incredible dish! The Madeira wine was not too hard to find and bought at a specialty grocery in Portland OR. Guessing most stores with a good wine section will have it. Made this 2x and tastes great reheated for an easy lunch or dinner throughout the week. I’ll definitely go back to this recipe often!!
Hi Patricia, I’m so glad you didn’t have trouble finding Madeira wine. It definitely makes a difference. Thank you for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it – I always appreciate it 🙂
I made this for dinner tonight and it was ANAZING! I didn’t have time to look for Madeira wine so I used Marsala wine that I had on hand. This dish did not diss appoint ! I can’t wait to make it again with the proper ingredients! I love ALL your recipes!
Thank you so much, Anita!! I appreciate the love. 🙂
This was super delicious and very easy to make. Mine seemed a bit too saucy and I could still taste the alcohol so I am thinking I didn’t let it cook down enough but other than that it was so good, will definitely make again!
Thanks, Bonnie! I bet my cooktop is just warmer than yours, so you’ll probably have to cook an extra minute or two beyond my instructions. I’ve had to do that with other people’s recipes, too. Thank you for the support!
I didn’t use wine as I do not like the taste, so I used chicken broth instead. I only added as much pasta as I saw fit, maybe half. I did not use the water from the pasta but did add a little bit more half and half to make it creamier. I didn’t have the parmesan cheese, so I added Monterey jack. It came out delicious bit like stroganoff.
Hi Kelly, glad to hear you were able to enjoy and make it your own! If you do try it with freshly grated parmesan, I highly recommend adding even a splash of pasta water. The starch in the water really helps to emulsify the cheese and make it creamy. Enjoy 🙂
Followed the recipe exactly and was so delicious! Definitely restaurant quality with much less calories. I would not hesitate to serve this to dinner guests. Thank you for a great recipe!
A friend of my wife’s suggested this recipe and she sent it to me to cook. I’ve cooked it many times since and she and I absolutely love it.